Member Notes:

Snowberry clearwings are regarded as important pollinators, and they are a common sight in Arkansas gardens. They dart quickly from flower to flower sipping nectar in full sunlight. Their wings beat rapidly, giving the animals the appearance of large bees or small hummingbirds.

The species has a large range, encompassing much of the United States and Canada, and its coloration varies seasonally, geographically, and individually. This variation historically caused much confusion, with the naming of many forms as different species.

The larvae, which are typical hornworms except for their rather small size, are green with black spots around each spiracle.
They feed on snowberry, dogbane, honeysuckle, and dwarf bush honeysuckle.

This is an image of both the brown form and green form of the caterpillar of Hemaris diffinis. Note that the green forms have a basal brown line below the green. The brown form instar is one of the first reported in the first instar of growth. Oftentimes it is found after the green form has changed to brown in later instars. This was a brown form hatchling, so unusual.

Host plants are snowberries, viburnums, and honeysuckle. I found mine on my honeysuckle bush. I have 5 cocoons in the vegetable compartment of my refridgerator and I take them out once a month and give them a water bath (to prevent dessication; the water is the same temperature as they are kept in, with crumpled pieces of paper towel, which I spritz with water before returning them to the fridge. I will remove them from the fridge when outdoor temps are conducive to safe emergence.